


Forest of Witches

by ArivFroso, KagomeBenihime



Series: Treat for The Trickster [15]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean makes a new friend, Gabriel is tasty, M/M, Recharge for Gabriel, Sam has a hard time, Trials for Dean, apparently
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:22:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24922267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArivFroso/pseuds/ArivFroso, https://archiveofourown.org/users/KagomeBenihime/pseuds/KagomeBenihime
Summary: Gabriel takes the brothers to a forest where he can "Recharge his batteries" but after running into an acquaintance, things take a turn for the bad.Dean steps up to the plate however, can he get them out of this?
Relationships: Gabriel/Sam Winchester
Series: Treat for The Trickster [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/753126
Comments: 1
Kudos: 53





	Forest of Witches

**Author's Note:**

> I know, it's a new chapter in the middle and I am sorry. We thought an explanation chapter would be nice, give us a chance to flush some things out a bit. hope you like it!

Gabriel lead the brothers up a thin, very overgrown path. Sam watched his angel as they walked, ignoring Dean's grumbles and cursing behind him. Gabriel had said he could fix it… he could get better… but then he directed them to this state park and lead them off on this trip into the woods with barely any trail. Gabriel seemed to know where he was going though, so Sam kept quiet.

Eventually, they entered a large clearing. "So…what are we doing?" Dean asked, looking around.

Gabriel smiled, moving over to a large tree and sitting down in a spot of the trees roots that seemed like it had formed as a seat.

"Sharing," he said softly. Before either of the brothers could ask, Gabriel closed his eyes and stilled.

Dean grumbled more, kicking at the dirt. Slowly an image came to Sam's mind, explaining. He saw the plants giving life energy to Gabriel, and Gabriel returned in kind, using his body like a solar battery and spreading light to the plants. As Sam watched, he could see the grass begin to darken and grow, tiny flowers appearing around them. 

After the first surprise wore off, Dean began to pace, grumbling about a "waste of time" and "could be at the bar…" 

The sudden sound of Sam's phone made them both jump. Gabriel didn't move, and Sam hurried to answer.

"Hey Sam," Bobby said. "I just got some calls I thought you'd want to know about…"

"Calls?" Sam asked, "Like a case?"

"Nope," Bobby said. "Some people called and said Gabriel had told them the number, wanted ya'll to know they were ok… Phill and Nancy, and this other guy… what was his name…"

"Henriksen?" Sam asked in surprise.

"Yeah, that's him," Bobby said. "Said he was alright. Said to tell ya it's "Surf and turf time" or something…"

Dean tried to get closer so he could hear what Bobby was saying, reaching for the phone.

Sam chuckled softly, batting away Dean's hand. "I'm glad they're alright… Thanks, Bobby."

"Sure thing boys," Bobby said. "Good luck with the power up or whatever."

Sam put his phone away and went back to watching his mate. Dean made a face but let the argument die before it started.

It seemed like only a few minutes later that Gabriel started shifting, his head turning as if he were having a bad dream or a fly was buzzing around his ears. Suddenly, Gabriel's eyes snapped open.

"Something's wrong." He stood quickly and started off into the trees. Sam and Dean scrambled after him.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked "What's wrong?"

"There's something here," Gabriel said softly. "Something here that shouldn't be…"

"Hello…?" came a soft voice in the trees ahead of them. "I-is someone there?"

Gabriel held his hand up, signaling the brothers to be cautious as a hunched old woman limped out of the trees with her strange rounded cane to peer at them. To say she was ugly would be an understatement… she had a very large nose, skin that looked like old leather, and dark stained teeth as she smiled at them.

"What are three handsome youngsters like you doing way out here?" The woman asked in a reedy voice, lilting with an accent Sam couldn't quite place.

Gabriel put on one of his charming smiles. "Oh, just going for a hike. What are you doing out here? You could get hurt…"

The woman chuckled. "Oh, I live out here… why don't you come for a drink of water or something?" The woman turned and hobbled back into the trees with the boys following.

"Live out here?" Dean said, not-so-under his breath. "Who does she think she is? Baba Yaga?"

Just then, they came into a clearing, a small hut was there, shabby and run down, but to either side of it were what looked almost like yellow palm trees, making two upside down Vs.

Gabriel looked back at Dean slowly, eyes sharp and denunciatory. "Yes…" he growled through his teeth as the woman turned around to face them.

She grinned toothily at them before raising her cane-  _ pestle… _ Sam thought now,  _ it's a pestle… _ \- then striking the ground which gave way under them and they fell into black space.

Sam woke with a start, out of breath. In the dark, he could almost fool himself that falling had been a dream, but the earthen floor beneath him and the pain in his back quickly drove away that hope. He looked around, trying to get his bearings. It was a cave, small, like a closet, and the only opening in the hard packed dirt was completely blocked by tree roots. It could be big enough to be a doorway, if the roots weren't there. Sam sat up, groaning. He heard movement nearby, on the other side of the roots.

"Sammy?" Dean called.

"It's 'Sam'," Sam muttered, shuffling over to the roots. There were gaps big enough to see through, but he doubted he could fit a hand through the largest of the gaps. "What happened?" He could see a round room, with other rooted doorways along the walls. In one, he could make out Dean's face.

"Guess I shouldn't joke," Dean admitted. "Might actually be right. And might actually make the old hag lock us up because we know who she is." He sighed a frustrated huff. "Are you ok?"

"A bit sore," Sam admitted, taking out his phone quickly to check, no bars... "But I'm alright. Have you seen-"

"He's in that one," Dean pointed through his roots. "He's been meditating or something. He stopped responding a while ago."

Sam had to squint to make out the details, but he could see Gabriel now, sitting cross legged on the floor of his cell. He could almost see a glow coming from Gabriel, but it was faint, and seemed to flicker in and out.

Sam tried to get a grip on the roots in front of him. If he could just get out of this room, he could- He cursed softly as the roots grew thorns beneath his hands to stab into his palms.

Dean moved to his doorway again. "Sam?"

"I'm alright," Sam said quickly. "Just be careful with the roots."

Finally the angel sighed in frustration. "No use…" he muttered before standing. "I can't reach any connection points here… can't charge up…"

Dean huffed in annoyance as Sam let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "It's alright," Sam rushed to assure him. "We'll figure out how to get out of here, and then you can-"

A sudden loud  _ crack _ made them all jump, a large crack opened in the wall and Baba Yaga limped into the room.

Sam almost put his hands on the roots again, but decided against it. "What do you want with us?"

Ignoring him completely, the old hag moved to Gabriel's cell. "Hello, Loki…" she said in a creaky voice. "Lovely to see you again…"

Gabriel glared back at her. "Yaga," he said softly.

Sam blinked. "You… know each other?"

"The Norse lands weren't far from Russia," Gabriel said, not taking his eyes off the frail looking woman. "People got around, gods mingled…"

"Gods?" Dean asked incredulously. "I thought Baba Yaga was a witch?"

The hag turned, snarling at Dean.

"Half witch," Gabriel broke in smoothly. "Her mother managed to bewitch one of the gods to her with her beauty."

"Her beauty?" Dean asked, looking at Baba Yaga. "What happened?"

"She tempted Radegast…" Gabriel said softly. "Hors wasn't too happy about it. You can guess what happened next..."

Baba Yaga moved toward Dean again, bearing her cracked yellow-brown teeth.

"What are you doing here, Yaga?" Gabriel asked quickly, trying to distract her.

"What are you?" Baba Yaga asked coyly, turning back to him.

"Traveling…" Gabriel said. "I can't go back to Asgard right now… Midgard is the best option."

"Really?" Baba Yaga asked, moving toward Gabriel's cage, waving her hand and making the roots disappear. "You seem pretty… pathetic… right now…" She moved forward, her long nose twitching appreciatively. "Ah… it's been so long since… I've had a good meal…"

Baba Yaga reached for Gabriel, who backed away as much as he could.

"Get away from him!" Sam yelled, grabbing at the roots of his own doorway, ignoring the biting pain of more thorns.

"Probnyy!" Dean shouted suddenly. 

Baba Yaga stopped in her tracks and looked at Dean in surprise.

"You have to give us a trial, right?" Dean said "Let us prove ourselves before you just chow down. R… right?"

Baba Yaga blinked a time or two before smiling deviously "Of course… I can give you a trial… if you want."

"I'd take it over getting eaten," Dean said.

Baba Yaga cackled loudly. "Then so be it!" She flung her hand towards Sam and there was a bright flash.

"Sam!" Gabriel yelled.

"Sammy!"

"I-I'm alright…" Sam said, sounding far from alright.

Baba Yaga waved her hand again and the roots parted on the other two cages, revealing Sam, whose legs, up to the knees, had turned to stone.

Dean started forward angrily. "What the hell?!"

"Ah ah ah ah," Baba Yaga said pointing at Sam, the stone creeping a little further up his leg. "You don't have time for any funny business, now do you?"

"Alright, Yaga…" Gabriel growled. "What do you want us to-"

"No," Baba Yaga said softly. "not you." She pointed at Dean with a boney finger. " _ He _ was the one who wanted a trial. He is the one to do it…"

Dean clenched his teeth but nodded. "Fine. What do I have to do?"

Baba Yaga smiled. "Loki's old friend, Idun, has some golden apples… bring them to me."

Gabriel's eyes widened slightly, glancing at Dean worriedly.

Dean scoffed. "Loki doesn't have…" he stopped for a second before asking "How do I find this Idun?"

Baba Yaga smiled her disturbing smile. "It's supposed to be a challenge… isn't it? Hurry back now, or I'm having giant for dinner."

Dean turned to Gabriel. "How do I find her?"

Gabriel sighed softly. < _Look for the largest oak tree…_ > his voice said in Dean's mind < _acorns… find the acorns…_ >

Dean turned to go, taking a moment to give Sam what he hoped was a reassuring nod before hurrying up the tunnel Baba Yaga had entered through.

Dean rushed through the forest, searching almost frantically, before becoming completely lost. He was letting out a string of curses when a sudden scream made him jump. He rushed towards the sound and found a woman at the bottom of a steep hill, clutching her ankle.

"Hang on," Dean called down to her as he began carefully making his way down the hill, using plant life and fingers digging in the dirt to slow his descent.

The woman seemed surprised. "Who are-" she tried to move but winced.

"I'm Dean," he said as he made it down to her. He gave her a small yet warm smile. He knelt to get a closer look at her ankle.

"Dana…" she said weakly, wincing slightly as he checked her ankle. "What are you doing out here?"

Dean had to fight back a bitter laugh. "Looking for the biggest tree. I don't think it's broken, but I could splint it for you. Make it a little easier to get out of here."

Dana blinked "Biggest tree? I could show you if you want…"

Dean glanced around. "Shouldn't you be trying to get out of here? With an injury like that, you shouldn't keep trekking through the woods more than to get out."

"What about you?" she asked. "Why aren't you trying to leave?"

Dean gave her a determined smile. "I'm not the one who's hurt. Besides, I've got people relying on me finding that oak."

Dana looked up at him. "You are more worried about them than your own safety?" she asked softly.

"Of course," Dean said without hesitation.

"I see…" Dana said softly. "The largest tree is that way," she pointed towards another hill. "But you should know… there's a mother bear and cubs that live up there… It might come after you…"

Dean looked toward where she's pointed. "Just a bear?" he asked, as if that were nothing.

Dana smiled slightly at his bravery before nodding slightly. "Just be careful."

Dean started off through the trees before the thought struck him. "You be careful too," he said, turning to her again. "There's a crazy witch... out…"

Dana had vanished, all that remained was a small antler with a ring of white flowers.

"Dana," Dean mused, looking to where she had pointed. "Spirit or another god? Hell, who knows…" He started that way, moving slower now. He figured it'd be better to try to sneak around the bear than take it head-on.

Dean hurried toward the hill. As it came into sight, he could see the cave on the hill that must be where the bear lived. Skirting the base of the hill, he came up the far side, looking around desperately.

_ What the hell did he mean about acorns? I need apples damn it! _

As he looked, a sparkle on the ground caught his eye. There, on the ground, was an acorn that looked almost gold. Dean bent, picking up the strange acorn, it felt warm, and not just sun warmed.

"Idun?" Dean asked. The acorn cracked, breaking in half with a bright flash. Dean dropped it with a curse, stepping back.

"Who calls?" A soft woman's voice said. Dean looked up at the young woman who stood there in a long flowing green and white dress with golden blonde hair past her waist. Her bright green eyes looked at him curiously.

"You're Idun?" Dean asked.

The woman sighed. " _You_ called _me_ , human."

"I need your apples," Dean said quickly.

Idun looked aghast. "What do you-"

"Baba Yaga has my brother," Dean said quickly, "and- our friend… she won't let them go unless I bring the apples."

Idun sighed softly, shaking her head. "Odin forbids sharing the apples. Besides, that witch should not be allowed near the apples. I am sorry, but I cannot help you." 

"They'll die," Dean said desperately. "Please… please help…"

Idun didn't look at him before disappearing in a shimmering light.

"Wait!" Dean yelled, but too late. She, and the acorn, were gone.

Dean was ready to start screaming curses when he heard a sniffling grunt behind him. He turned to find the mother bear lumbering up, sniffing the air and squinting at him. His eyes widened and he froze in place. He wasn't sure, but he hoped if he didn't act threatening the bear would leave him alone.

The bear came closer, closer, her nose almost touching his own. She huffed out a breath that ruffled his hair before backing up, and bending down, dropping something it had had in its mouth at his feet before turning and lumbering to its cave. Dean could hear the cubs calling to their mom as she went in.

Dean let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and looked down.

Near his feet was a small nesting doll, the faded image on it looked like Baba Yaga. He crouched down to pick it up.

"Use it," said a voice from behind him.

Dean yelped and nearly dropped it. He stood back up and turned. Behind him, stood Dana, but she seemed taller, her hair was longer and tied with a headband. She was in a long white wool dress and a bear skin hung from her shoulders like a cloak.

"It should help." She smiled at him. "Thank you for helping me. But I will expect that back, when you defeat her."

Dean looked down at the doll in his hands. "I think I can manage that." He looked up to smile at her but she was gone.

Dean started back for the witch's house, sprinting through the trees as the shadows began to lengthen.

\---

"Sam… how you doing?" Gabriel asked softly, the stone was halfway up Sam's chest and it seemed like Sam was starting to struggle with breathing.

"I'm ok," Sam said, though his voice was strained and his eyes were closed.

Gabriel grit his teeth before going back to pacing.

"Soon now," Baba Yaga crowed, wiping the saliva from her mouth. "It's been so long since I've had that Russian smell…" She leered at Gabriel. "You traveled so much… but I can still smell it." Gabriel glared at her and she laughed. "So fierce! That will taste even better."

Dean dashed into the room. "Hold it!"

Baba Yaga turned, smiling. "You brought me the apples then?"

Dean took a deep breath. "Let them go first."

Baba Yaga cackled. "Not how it works, child. Give me the apples."

Dean took a deep breath and pulled the bag off his shoulder. He set it on the ground as he opened it and started digging in it.  _ "Gabriel," _ Dean thought as loudly as he could,  _ "I don't know if you can hear me, but please… make this look like the apple." _

Yaga, despite herself, moved forward eagerly.

Gabriel nodded behind Yaga, reaching out with what little magic he could, then his eyes widened when he felt what Dean had.

The doll in Dean's hand shifted shape, forming into an apple that seemed to sparkle, even in the darkness of the bag.

Dean pulled it out, holding the bottom of it. "Here. Now let them go."

Yaga rushed forward but Dean held it up out of reach. She growled, "Fine." The roots covering the entrances of the cells fell away. "Now give me the apple!"

"Release Sam first," Gabriel growled, moving to Sam, who was now gasping for what breath he could get.

Yaga waved and the stone began to fade. "Now, give it to me rebenok!"

"Sure," Dean said, lowering it to where she could reach the top, but held the bottom firmly, so that she pulled the doll open in her eagerness to take the apple from him.

The glamour faded as soon as it was opened.

"No…" Yaga gasped as a glow started to fill the room "No!" A bright flash, then Yaga disappeared, the nesting doll in Dean's hand tightly sealed as the image of Baba Yaga on it darkened, the image becoming clearer, more in focus.

"Where did you find that?" Gabriel asked softly, moving forward slowly, looking at the doll.

"Called herself Dana," Dean said distractedly. He shoved the doll back in his bag and rushed to Sam. "Let's get out of here. Can you walk?"

They moved out of the hut but a gruff grunting came from their right, they all looked over to see the mother bear lumbering towards them. Sam reached for his gun, eyes wide.

"Woah! Woah, Sam, it's ok," Dean said, throwing up an arm to stop him. "It's ok," he looked to the bear, "right? You're here for this?" Dean pulled the nesting doll out of his bag again.

The bear huffed slightly, moving forward and taking the doll in its mouth before turning and moving back into the trees.

Gabriel stared for a moment before looking back at Dean. "You… what happened out there?"

Dean smiled as he watched the bear and her cubs disappear into the trees. He told them everything that had happened as they made their way through the trees. "I didn't mention you to Idunn," Dean added at the end of the story. "Yaga called her your friend, but… from the couple of stories I read, seems like you didn't have many friends."

Gabriel nodded slightly before stopping and looking back. "You aren't even going to say hello?"

Dean glanced at Sam before stopping and turning to look as well.

Dana came out of the trees, still dressed in the white dress and bear skin, now holding the doll. "I didn't know if you would want to see me, Loki."

"Devana," Gabriel greeted, smiling slightly. "I told you years ago, it wasn't your fault."

Dean was smiling at her, not really caring about the past. He was just glad she had helped him save Sam.

Sam stepped forward and offered a hand. "I'm Sam," he said. "Dean said you helped. Thank you." He glanced pointedly at Gabriel, letting him know how very curious he was.  _ You're my mate, I want to know everything about you. _

Devana smiles, shaking Sam's hand. "Bold, I like that."

Gabriel chuckled. "Sam, Dean, meet Devana, mother of the forest, and Goddess of the Russian pantheon."

Dean checked the box in his head from his earlier ponderings on her. "Nice to officially meet you, 'Dana'," he said with a wink and a grin, holding out his hand. "I take it your ankle wasn't actually hurt, huh?"

Devana chuckled, shaking his hand "You tell me, you did check it out pretty thoroughly." She gave him a smile that Sam had seen Dean himself wear several times… before Sam would be kicked out of their hotel room...

"If you don't mind my asking," Sam started, glancing at the nesting doll in her hand, "what are you gonna do with that now?"

Devana looked down at the doll, her smile gone. "I've been hunting the witch for some time… now I'll take her back, she will be tried for her crimes." She looked at Gabriel "Loki… why did you come here?"

Gabriel smiled gently "My energy was depleted… I came to recharge. We ran into Yaga by accident."

Devana nodded slowly "I see… accidents seem to follow you Loki... why is that I wonder..." she looked at him for a long moment with her large dark eyes before sighing "Well, I must go… be well, Loki. I thank you and your friends." She winked at Dean before turning and disappearing into the trees once more.

"Dude…" Sam said, looking at Dean "Did you just get hit on by a Goddess?"

Dean shrugged sheepishly. "Why not? You're 'mated' with a god."

Gabriel chuckled and turned, heading back toward the spot he had started everything. "Devana definitely has a type… and you are pretty much it." 

Dean grinned, pleased with himself.

_ There will be no living with him after this… _ Sam thought. Gabriel laughed loudly, leading the way back towards the clearing.

"Hey," Sam said, glancing at Dean. "You speak Russian?"

Gabriel glanced at Dean too. "That's right, you demanded a trial in Russian which meant she couldn't refuse… how did you know that?"

Dean shrugged. "I don't really speak it, but the challenge comes up in a couple different legends, including hers. Figured it'd be something useful to remember."

Gabriel's eyes narrowed slightly "...You got it from porn. Didn't you."

Dean stopped and folded his arms. "I read, too."

Gabriel laughed, shaking his head and continued to the power up spot.

Once there, Gabriel sat down again with a sigh, "Sorry about all of this guys…"

Sam smiled and shrugged. "No biggie."

"Ya," Dean said, "not like you planned for a crazy witch to attack us." He flopped down on a patch of dirt. "But you're buying dinner tonight."

Gabriel chuckled softly "Sure. There's this new vegetarian place I've had my eye on, should be nice."

Dean groaned and kicked up some dirt halfheartedly. "You're no fun," he grumbled.

Gabriel laughed before closing his eyes, the power of the forest shifting again, helping Gabriel regain his powers.

Movement near Sam's feet makes him jump as a shoot emerges from the ground, growing… growing… until next to Sam, stood a white rose bush.

Sam smiled softly, glancing at Gabriel again, things were going to be ok...


End file.
